Irish Education: Fine Men Taught by the Finest Priests

St Nathy's College, Co Roscommon

A fair few weeks ago, I was pointed to this Blog called "Maria Stops Abortion" which had an entry on St Patrick's Day about years gone by in Ireland and the upbringing of Irishmen 'back in the day.'

I read it and, as my own grandfather came from Kinsale, it was a great comfort to read of how Irish education wasn't one long story of abuse, hatred, evil monks etc. etc. -- which is the over-riding impression we get from the British media, the organised atheists and so many others with an axe to grind.

The hero of the piece, Stan McCarrick who I did meet some 10 years ago, looked back on his college days in Ireland, which despite being "blisteringly poor" he had the fondest memories of:

for the rest of his life he referred back to that college [St Nathy's] as a perfect environment, where boys were brought up to behave honourably and justly. He regarded the teachers in that school – all Priests - as the finest men he met in his life. And his fellow pupils, shaped by those men, as not far behind them.

Not always the picture of bliss (I'm being ironic) we know of UK state schools especially in the big cities, nor even the poshest public schools or boarding schools; let alone council-run orphanages or care homes in the UK.

Might Stan McCarrick's view of the Irish school system and of Irish priest teachers make it to the mainstream media?

Don't hold your breath. Catholicism isn't supposed to be known for running some of the finest educational establishments open to come of the poorest children.